Fuel feeding device



Sept. 17, 1935. F. F. FLINT FUEL FEEDING DEVICE v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22, 1924 7 J WW.

Sept. 17, I F F FLINT v FUEL FEEDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwmntoz Patented Sept. 17, 1935' FUEL FEEDING DEVICE Floyd F. Flint, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, of one-half to Roy F.

Fisher,

Detroit, Mich., and one-half to Van Sicklen Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application October 22, 1924, Serial No. 745,191

24 Claims.

This invention relates to liquid feeding devices such as are used for raising liquids from a lower level to a higher level, as for instance, in the supplying of suitable quantities of fuel to the 5 carburetors of automobile and other internal combustion engines.

More particularly the invention relates to an improvement in that part of my patent on carburetors, Number 1,505,921, which relates to the float chamber and its operation, and also to improve in my patent on fuel feed devices for" motor cars, Number 1,517,777. The latter application solely covers the fuel feeding device and the present invention in general resembles in outward form and in certain features of its operation the device there shown.

The principal objects of the present invention are to improve and simplify the fuel feeding arrangements of the before mentioned patents, to render the operation more uniformly eifective, toso construct the device that the parts thereof can be manufactured in a highly economical manner with the elimination of unnecessary machine work and to provide a very sensitive form of control for the flowing liquid. g

In -the' accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof. Figure 3 is a section on the line 33-of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 3. Figure 6' is a section on the line 66 of Figure 4. Figure 7 is a perspective view of. a certain check valve disk used herewith.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing onlya modified plunger arrangement.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9--9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a section on the line Ill-l of Figure 8. I

Figure 11 is a section on the line Il-ll of Figure 8. I

Figure 12 is a section on. the line I2l2 of Figure 8'. 7

The present invention operates, like that of n'iy last application, by a suitable cam as indicated at C. This invention includes a housing ID of general cylindrical form and provided with a flange ll having bolt receiving openings l2 by which the device may be suitably supported, as by attachment to the crank case of an engine.

1 Within the housing I0 is a hollow cylindrical 55 plunger l3 which projects from one end of the housing, the projecting end of the plunger being to the housing and preferably formed integral therewith is a housing extension l1 wherein is a chamber l8 communicating with the housing L through a bevelled port l9. Adjacent the free end of the extension H is a shoulder 20 against which rests a valve seat member 2| having a tubular extension 23 which is engaged by a plug 24 secured into the extension II, this plug being provided with aninternal recess into which the tubularportio'n 23- extends. This tubular portion isprovided with longitudinally extending slots-25, preferably three in number as can be seenwith reference to Figure 6, and the slotted portion is surrounded by a screen or strainer 26. Opening laterally into the chamber l8 is.an inlet port 21 extending through a boss 28 into which 15 secured a. liquid feed pipe 29 which is connected at its other end to a suitable source of liquid supply, the same not deemed necessary here to be shown. The valve seat member 2| is provided with an axial port.38 having a frusto-conical valve seat 3| at each end. Within the tubular extension 23 is a valve 32 and similarly in the body of the chamber I8 is a valve 33. Both of these valves are of very light construction and may be formed by stamping a thin disk of metal into conical form or, if desired, the valve may be diecast in hollow conical form. These valves are connected by a stem 34 so that they move in unison and this stem extends through the valve 33 into the body of-the chamber I 8, being pro vided on the extended portion with a suitable float 35 of cork or the like. Leading from the body of thechamber I8 is an outlet port 36 which is angled at its outer end to open laterally through a boss 31 formed on the side of the extension I! and preferably on the side opposite the .boss 28. At 38 is a housing which is hollow to provide a discharge chamber or conduit 39. This housin coversthe boss 31 so that the port 36 opens 4 thereinto and in front of the port 36 the housing 5 is provided with a downwardly extending arm or lug 40 which is spaced'from the boss 31 so that a valve disk 4| may fit loosely between the lug 48 and the boss 31 and act as a check valveto prevent backward flow of the liquid from the chamber 39 into the chamber I 8. The housing 38 is secured to the extension I! by suitable screws 42 and opening through one side of the chamber l3 for an exhaust port 43 to which is connected an exhaust pipe or delivery pipe ll-which leads to chamber wherein the float 35 may rise and fall.

There will at all times be an air piston interposed between the pulsator and the fuel.

As a concrete example of one of the many purposes for which the device may be used let it be supposed that it is applied to an automobile for the purpose of drawing gasoline from a tank and supplying to a carburetor; In such a case the cam C may be one of the valve cams of the engine. 7

At the beginning of the operation the entire device is empty of all liquid, the various chamber and ports being filled with air. Under such circumstances the port 30 will be closed by the valve 33 and, upon the plunger moving inward, air will be forced out through the port 36. As the plunger moves outward on the return stroke the valve 4| will close and suction will be produced in the chamber I8 which slightly lifts the valve 33 and permits air to pass from the pipe 29 into the chamber so that the level of the gasoline in the chamber I8 will rise and the port 30 will be closed by the valve 32 and since the movement is continued the air is finally all drawn out of the pipe 29 and gasoline begins to flow and will partially fill the float chamber and lift the valves 32 and 33 to an intermediate position in which neither valve is seated. The unseated condition of these .valves will persist so long as normal conditions, such as running on a level or uphill, prevail and the repeated movements of the plunger simply operate the valve 4| and feed the gasoline out of the port 43 to the carbureter. It happens at times, for instance with the engine idling, that more gasoline tends to flow to the carburetor than is being used. In such an event there will result a slight increase of pressure in the chamber 39 which will effectually stop further feeding of gasoline to this chamber, the gasoline in the chamber l8 and pipe I!) simply oscillating under the influence of .the plunger, the double valve acting as a relief against increase of flow in the line. At other times, such as in running down hill, a tendency may exist for the carburetor to flood or a siphoning action may be set up. Under these last conditions such flooding orsiphoning tendency will be checked before .it. can actually take place.

It will now be seen that the pipe 29, both ends of the chamber I8, and the port 30 form what may be termed a suction conduit. It will also be seen that the two valves 32 and 33 form a sensitive double check and relief valve which is normally held open by the float.

In some instances it is found that too much oil passes the plunger l3 and such oil finds its way into the float chamber to the detriment of the efficiency of the device by interfering with the operation of the float. Also, when used on certain cars, this permits the escape of a certain amount of oil from the crank case and reduces the mileage obtainable from a given groove wherein is fitted a piston ring 46. The outer edge of the ring groove is bevelled as at 41 and from this bevelled edge ports 48 lead to the chamber ,49 formed between the head I4 and partition 45. At the head this chamber is also provided with escape openings 50 so that oil, collected by the'ring 46 in its outward movement, willflow into the chamber 49 and thence through the openings 50. Furthermore a clearance groove 51 is provided around the piston or plunger and this groove, at substantially the outer limit of the plunger movement, comes into registry with an opening 52 formed in the side wall of the body I0. By this means any air which might escape around the plunger or otherwise will be drawn back through the opening 52 and around the groove 5|, thus relieving the oil film around the plunger between the ring andthe front end from the suction effect. It is also to be noted that the cylinder end is bevelled as at 53 to assist in keeping the oil from working in between the plunger and cylinder wall. Also small relief grooves 54 are provided. In each of the forms shown there will be at all times an air piston between the plunger or pulsator and the fuel.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. Liquid feeding means comprising an air pulsator, a conduit with which said pulsator is in communication, a sensitive double check and relief valve in said conduit, and arranged for selectively checking the passage of fuel through said conduit toward and from the direction of the pulsator, and an outlet from said conduit controlled by an outwardly opening check valve.

2. Liquid feeding, means comprising an air pulsator, a conduit with which said pulsator is in communication, a sensitive double check and relief valve in said conduit, and arranged for selectively checking the passage of fuel through said conduit toward and from the direction of the pulsator, an outlet from said conduit con: trolled by an outwardly opening checkvalve, and a float in said conduit controlling the double check valve.

3. Liquid feeding means comprising an air pulsator, a conduit with which said pulsator is in communication, forming an otherwise closed passage leading from the source of liquid to the 50 I in communication forming an otherwise closed passage leading from the source of liquid to the point of discharge, a sensitive double check and relief valve in said conduit, and arranged for selectively checking the passage of fuel through said conduit toward and from the direction of the pulsator, an outlet from said conduit controlled by an outwardly opening check valve, and a float in said conduit controlling the double check valve.

5. Liquid feeding means comprising an air pulsator, a conduit with which said pulsator is in communication, a sensitive double check and relief valve in said conduit, said check valve including a pair of light hollow conical valves connected point to point by a stem and a valve seat member having a port through which the stem passes and frusto-conical seats at the ends of the port, and an outlet from said conduit controlled by an outwardly opening check valve.

6. Liquid feeding means comprising an air pulsator, a conduitwith whichv said pulsator is in communication, a sensitive double check and relief valve in said conduit, said check valve including a pair of light hollowconical valves connected point to point by a stein and a valve seat member having a port through which the stem passes and frusto-conical seats at the ends of the port, an outlet from said conduit controlled by an outwardly opening check valve, and a float in 7. Liquid feeding'means comprising an air pulsaid conduit controlling the double check valve.

sator, a conduit with which said pulsator is in.

communication forming an otherwise closed passage leading from the source of liquid to the point of discharge, a sensitive double check and relief valve in said conduit, said check valve including a pair of light hollow conical valves connected point to point by a stem and a valve seat member having a port through which the stem passes and frusto-conical seats at the ends of the port, and anoutlet from said conduit controlled 7 by an outwardly opening check'valve.

8. Liquid feeding means comprising an air pulsator, a conduit with which said pulsator is in communication forming an otherwise closed passage leading from the source of liquid to the point of discharge a sensitive double check and by an outwardly opening check valve, and a float in said conduit controlling valve.

9. Liquid feeding means comprising an air pulsator, a conduit with which saidpulsator is in the double check communication, and double check and relief' valve in the conduit to limit the flow of liquid in accordance with the quantity used. f

10. A pulsator including a cylinder having one end open and the other closed, a plunger movable in and out of the open end, means carried by the plunger for preventing creeping of oil past the plunger to the closed end portion of the cylinder, and means for collecting oil leaking into the open end of the cylinder in'the plunger.

11. A pulsator including a cylinder havingone end open and the other closed, a plunger movable in and out of the open end, means carried by the plunger for preventing creeping .of oil past the plunger to the closed end portion of the cylinder, means for collecting oil leaking into the open end of the cylinder in the plunger, and other means for relieving suction effects produced by the reciprocating of the plunger between the inner end portion of the plunger and the surrounding portion of the cylinder wall.

. 12. In a pumping mechanism, a closed expansible chamber adapted to produce alternate rarefactions and compressions in a gaseous medium confined therein, a pumping chamber communieating with said expansible chamber, a supply conduit and a delivery conduit communicating with said pumping chamber, both of said conduits being normally open to .receive liquid on v the'compression stroke, and means associated with said supply conduit adapted to prevent backflow in said conduit when the level of liquid in said chamber is abnormally low.

14. In a pumping system, an impulse chamber containing a'body of gas, means for producing alternate rarefaction and compression of said body of gas, a pumping chamber communicating with said impulse chamber, a conduit for supplying liquid to said pumping chamber, a valve associated with said conduit and a float in said pumping chamber connected to said valve and adapted to maintain said valve normallyopen to permit flow freely in either direction through said conduit.

15. Ina pumping system, an impulse chamber containing a body of gas, means for producing alternate rarefaction and compression of said body of gas, a pumping chamber communicating with said impulse chamber, a conduit forsupplying liquid to said pumping chamber, a valve associated with said conduit having an upper and a lower seat, and a float in said chamber connected to said valve, said valve adapted to engage said lower seat by gravity and said upper,

seat under the influence of said float. 16. In a. pumping system, an impulse chamber containing a body of gas, means for producing alternate rarefaction and compression of said body of gas, a, pumping chamber communicating with said impulse chamber, a conduit for supplying liquid to said pumping chamber, avalve associated with said conduit having an. upper anda lower seat, and a float in said chamber connected to said valve, said parts being so proportioned and arranged that the valve will be normally ma'ntained by the float out of "contact with saidseats.

17. A method of feeding liquid fuel under pressure through a feed conduit to a carburetor with regulated admission, check valved against the fuel supply in amounts adapted to varying demand; which method compr'ses exerting sufficiently rapid alternations of suction and pressure on the liquid at the supply side of the checkvalve means, through a resilient cushion, to surge the fuel inward in the conduit under the suction impulses with suflic'entenergv to enable delivery to be made. by virtue of the inertia of the incoming fuel, when permitted by the carburetor regulation, even with said. conduit substantially open toward the supply; and elastically cushioning the liquid in the delivery connection to thecarburetor and thereby safeguarding the latter against flooding by the pressure impulses.

18. A system of the character described for feeding liquid fuel under pressure, a self-adapting to varying demand; said system comprising a feed conduit having a light inlet valve adapted to float in more or less open position, with a conmeans, even with'the conduit substantially open forth therein, and the inertia of the fuel in the supply end of the conduit enabling delivery to be made through said check-valve means under the pressure impulses, even with the conduit open.

19. A fuel pump comprising a pumping chamber containing gas, means for causing alternate compression and rarefaction of said gas, an outlet passage from said chamber having therein a check-valve, means to restrict the outflow through said valve at times to less than the maximum capacity of the pump, and an inlet conduit connecting said chamber to a source of supply, said conduit having a light inlet valve seating towards the source of supply and adapted to remain. more or less open to permit the liquid entering said chamber in excess of the permitted outflow to surge back through the said conduit under the influence of the compression of the gas, the discharge check-valve being constructed and arranged to-open under the compression stroke by reason of the inertia of the inflowing liquid, without closure of the inlet conduit.

20. A system of the character described for feeding liquid fuel under pressure in a substantially continuous flow, self-adapting, as hereinafter described, to variations in the demand; said system comprising a substantially closed checkvalved feed conduit including a light valve adapted to seat toward the source'of supply and to float in more or less open position during normal operation, a resilient means through which impulses are imposed on the fuel passing through said valve, a pressure chamber beyond said check-valve means, and'means beyond said pressure chamber for controlling the delivery from said conduit according to demand, so that backpressure may be imposed on the fuel; and means,

for producing sufficiently rapid alternations of suction and pressure impulses on the fuel at the supply side of said check-valve means through said cushion to surge the fuel inward in said conduit with such energy that the inertia of the fuel in the supply end of the conduit enables delivery to be made throligh said check-valve at the supply side of said check-valve means,

whenever flow from said chamber under the demand has reduced the pressure therein below that due to the pressure impulses.

21. Liquid feeding means comprising a pulsator chamber having a movable wall adapted to impress pulsations on fluid therein, a long conduit of relatively small cross-section'with which said chamber is in communication, said conduit leading from a source of fluid supply to a point of discharge, a highly sensitive inlet and outlet valve associated with said chamber, said inlet valve being arranged to float in open position during normal operation of the pulsator under the flow of the oncoming fluid, said inlet valve being adapted to unseat and to positively seat at the start of operation of said pulsator, and resilient means through which pulsations are imposed on the fluid between said valves for dissipating the operative effort directed therechamber in communication with said conduit,

and having highly sensitive inlet and outlet valves, both of said valves being arranged to float in more or less open position during normal fuel demand under the inertia of the flowing ing starting, said inlet valve being adapted to float under the inertia flow of a normal demand flow to the carburetor and to remain open under restricted flow to the carburetor to the extent of permitting a surging of the fuel in the inlet line during such restriction, said inlet valve being adapted to positively seat toward the source of supply with actual back flow of the fuel.

23. A method of feeding liquid fuel under pressure through a feed conduit check valved in the direction of its source of supply with regulated admission in amounts adapted to varying demand, which method comprises exerting sufficiently' rapid alternations of suction and pressure on the liquid at the supply side of the check valve means through a resilient cushioning means to surge the fuel inward in the conduit under the suction impulses with suflicient energy to enable delivery to be made by virtue of the inertia of the incoming fuel, when permitted by carburetor regulation, even with the said conduit substantially open toward the supply, in storing an amount of the energy of the inertia flow by compression of a gas cushion located between the said check valve means whereby the inertia flow operates through a wider range of carburetor regulation, and in employing the said gas cushion to impart a forward impulse to the fuel for the carburetor during suction strokes on the supply line.

24. In a pumping system including a storage to be made through said outlet valve by virtue of the inertia of the oncoming fuel when permitted by carburetor regulation, an air containing chamber in said conduit between said outlet valve and said carburetor, said air chamber constituting means for storing an amount of pressure of the inertia flow of fuel and alsomeans for affecting a delivery impulse on the fuel during the suction strokes in said impulse chamber.

FLOYD F. FLINT. 

